S. Sudan youth call for Machar’s release from detention
December 26, 2017 (KAMPALA) – A group of youth from South Sudan have demanded for release of the armed opposition leader, Riek Machar before the next phase of talks begin in February next year.
“Dr. Riek Machar was a key stakeholder of the agreement (ARCISS). He must be set free and allowed to participate directly in the revitalization forum in February 2018 when peace talks resume,” the group, Senior Youth of South Sudan (SEYOSS), said in the statement.
“Riek Machar must be present in person on the negotiation table. Unless or until this revitalization forum is inclusive of all stakeholders otherwise it is dead on arrival,” adds the statement.
In their appeal, the group of youth also called upon the nine South Sudanese opposition leaders who earlier demanded for Machar’s release to boycott the second phase of the revitalization forum in February 2018 if their calls are ignored by the regional bloc (IGAD).
The group of peace activists says its regrets the suffering four years of civil war has inflicted on the people of South Sudan.
“As year 2017 comes to an end, South Sudanese living conditions have continued to mount from bad to worse and have now reached irreparable state,” the group said.
The group of youth also called on IGAD and peace guarantors to hold accountable those responsible for violation of the agreement on cessation of hostilities, hours after it came into effect on Sunday.
Diplomats were quoted saying the next phase of the negotiations would centre on thrashing out a revised power-sharing arrangement leading up to a new date for polls.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than 2 million displaced, aid agencies say, since war broke out in South Sudan over four years ago.
(ST)